Toy Review: DCUC Hawkgirl

DCUC Hawkgirl

It’s been a while since I reviewed Hawkman and since then I’ve been looking for his multiple-life partner.

I’m a late comer to the DC Universe, only becoming a fan once the DC Animated shows started with the Batman cartoon. Paul Dini’s (and the other creators) take on the characters really convinced me that the DC world could be as Marvel’s, despite the more ridiculous costumes and names. When the Justice League series came out, I really got excited, and followed it pretty much throughout.

One character became my favorite very quickly and that was Hawkgirl. I know next to zip about the Silver Age/Modern Hawkgirl, so I don’t know if her portrayal in the cartoon was strictly canon, but she was the team hot head, always angry. It was like another Hulk (who is my favorite comic character). Only short. With boobs. And a badass mace.

Hawkgirl the toy is part of the Giganta wave of DCUC figures. Unfortunately, local distribution seems to have stalled and Bankee seems to have stopped importing them at Series 6 (Hawkman). FFFFFU… Not to fret, our neighborhood toy stores also import them, sometimes at less than local SRP.

I got mine at Comic Alley for p1000.00. CA’s been known to sell knock-offs or overuns, but I checked and it looks like the one I found is legit. Woot.

There are 7 figures in the set, plus Giganta and the various variants. I’ve seen a couple of the others around, but it’s been awhile since I’ve seen a set. If you’re after the BAF (I know they branded it a CNC, but that’s semantics), you’re probably shit out of luck. If you’re after Hawkgirl, you’re also probably shit out of luck unless you’ve got a way to order it online. You could try the December Toy Fair.

The figure is based on the Silver age Hawkgirl (I think). It’s hard to be sure since I don’t normally read DC and with all their retcon happy arcs, I don’t know who is who. I just imagine it’s Shayera Hol from the JLA seires, though the costume looks slightly diffrent.

She comes with some excellent accesories. Her Nth Metal (the DCU’s native Unobtainium) mace, a sword, the DCUC stand (which is supposed to be her BAF part - what a gyp), and a great spear. They’re all pretty nice, with some good details. Unfortunely she can’t carry it all. Unlike Hawkguy, she does have the loop to hold the sword when she’s not using it. She also can’t hold it in her hands very well. The material they used for the figure and her thin feminine hands make for a really weak grip. An infant has a stronger hold than this girl. I’m sure that same boiling and freezing or what not will help, but I seriously think this kind of shit shouldn’t be necessary.

Articulation is decent, pretty much the same as Wonder Woman. It’ll allow her to get some nice poses, and retains a nice shape unlike some of the first Marvel Legends experiments. It’s a nice balance allowing for both good display and play possibilities.

Her wings share the same 2-point articulation as her Hawkdude. It still looks just as great, but you’ll have a tougher time posing her than her husband. Her tiny footprint paired with her huge head of hair, compounded by a loose stomach joint that causes her to hunch make it a bitch to keep her upright.

You’ll also want to note that she’s got a problem with neck articulation. Because of the way her hair is suclpted and the big helmet, she’s always looking down. This is great if you’re displaying her at the top of the shelf, or have a stand that will put her above other figures, but it sucks hard if she’s just standing. There’s a fix apparently, but again, I don’t like futzing with toys, expecially ones that I had a hard time finding.

Paint doesn’t seem to be much of a problem, but mostly because she’s got so much of her cast in color, with very few places with clashing colors. Her boot lines could be trouble areas, as well as the area around the belt. They wash on the wings seems lighter than Hawkdaddy, but it goes well with her.

Overall, she gives a good impression, especially next to Hawkinsertmaleeuphamismhere. Aside from the problems with the neck and torso joints, she’s a good buy, especially if you can find her at the price I got her.